Eternal Dark
|number=26 |image=Eternal dark cover.jpg |Airdate=September 25, 2003 |romanji=Eien no Daaku |kanji=永遠のダーク |opening=Byakuya ~True Light~ |ending=Michishirube |previous=The Black Wings |next= }} Eternal Dark is the 26th and final episode of the D.N.Angel anime. While Dark faces Krad to save the town, Daisuke fights his own battle to rescue Satoshi. It’s hand in hand that they triumph, and Dark leaves for good. In the light of a new day, Riku accepts Daisuke’s former secret identity. Summary Daisuke Niwa sits at the feet of a statue of two angels in a cloudy landscape. Dark calls out to him, telling him not to forget two things: that he exists inside of the boy and that he won’t forget him. Daisuke rides his bike, remembering his loved ones. In a car nearby, Riku hears his voice inside her mind and leaves the car. She calls out to him to wait and he turns around. In the basement of the Niwa home, Daiki calls upon spirits to grant him power. Emiko chants across from the fire, asking the spirits to reunite light with darkness. In the middle of the fire is a glass case with white and black feathers inside. At 6pm, Daisuke and Riku arrive at Fountain Park and stare out into the night view. Riku questions his clothes and where he was going. Daisuke regards her seriously for a moment before asking to see her again tomorrow. An earthquake begins and the couple hurries to safety. The foundation of the Fountain Park crumbles, taking Daisuke and Riku with it. He reaches out as they’re falling and grabs her. With great pain, Daisuke promises to protect Riku and summons his own red wings. As they fly above the town, Daisuke remembers that this is the pain Satoshi Hiwatari always endures. His hair then turns purple as Dark takes control. Concerned at first, Riku asks if he is Dark or Daisuke and he answers that he’s both. Risa Harada calls out for her older sister near the rubble. Much to her relief, Dark arrives with her in his arms. Risa slaps Riku and then hugs her, crying from worry and joy. Risa then thanks Dark for saving her sister and loving her grandmother. He responds that she has become a fine lady. The twins watch as he takes flight again. In the chamber of Black Wings, Commissioner Hiwatari stands before a spiked metal artwork with a yellow skull. With a grin, he swings the axe onto the skull. Dark hovers high above the Central Art Museum, which is surrounded by a black cloud of spirits. Dark can hear the heartbeat of the Black Wings below. Daisuke explains that before the Cultural Revolution, there was a time when the Hikari family’s artworks were gathered in the museum. Suddenly, Krad arrives and swings a feather at the thief. He flies above, eager to see Dark soon become part of him. The two angels begin their battle. Daisuke finds himself in a mysterious misty white area. Satoshi isn’t far away, kneeling in front of something on the ground. He explains to Daisuke that they are inside Krad and theorizes that the worlds of Krad and Dark became crossed due to their battle. Satoshi continues drawing a glowing red sigil with his thumb; with it, he can stop Krad by destroying their shared body. Dark is hit by a magic attack and in the inner world, Daisuke is flung backwards painfully. Satoshi mutters to Krad to continue fighting, and Daisuke begs him to stop the ritual. At the Azumano District Reception, which is set up on the school grounds, Riku senses something is wrong and leaves. Risa asks her friends to handle the booth while she follows her sister. Takeshi, who is also aiding in the evacuation, asks in vain where she is going. In the clock tower, Riku looks out over the town, where searchlights scan the sky. Risa assures her that Daisuke will be fine. The pendant around Riku’s neck begins to glow and Mio Hio begs them to lend her power. Mio explains that she had no choice but to put herself into the pendant when Riku and Daisuke had joined the pieces. Riku finally regains her memories of that evening. Mio continues pleading for the twins’ help, saying that Dark and Daisuke are both in danger. In front of the full moon, Krad mercilessly attacks Dark, who silently apologizes to Daisuke and asks him to endure. Satoshi finishes the magical sigil and stands in the center as the red glow increases. Daisuke rushes forward and is stopped by a strong barrier. Through his pain, Satoshi explains that he doesn’t care about his short life. The skull is beginning to crack under the blows from Commissioner Hiwatari’s axe. The skull glows and emits an ominous sound. At the same time, Kosuke Niwa is suffering, still confined to his bed in the Niwa home. Dark and Krad rush towards each other, wielding magic feathers. When their weapons collide, a flurry of feathers bursts from their wings. On a police radio, an officer issues orders to evacuate any citizens from the area around the Central Art Museum. Yuki Suzaki follows the officers as they rush towards the building, reporting as Dark and “white Dark” enter the museum. The statue of angels on the spire is split in two and destroyed by a white light. Commissioner Hiwatari swings the axes strongly and destroys the skull artwork, revealing a large green ring, The ring opens slightly to reveal a dripping muscle inside. Hiwatari stares at it in shock before Mio appears. He concludes that she borrowed the twins’ bodies, and she orders him to stop. Krad bursts through the ceiling and plunges towards Dark, sending bursts of magic at him at the same time. Satoshi is suspended in the air, held up by red bands of magic on his wrists. He struggles to speak through the pain, saying that Daisuke doesn’t understand what it’s like to live as a Hikari. He asserts adamantly that he’s changing the Hikari fate when Daisuke begs him not to run away. The image of the Black Wings covered in chains and rags appears in the red glow. Daisuke pries open a gap in the barrier, begging Satoshi not to give up but more red lashes grab onto his friend, interrupting them. Mio Hio holds the glowing pendant towards Hiwatari. He condescendingly reminds the girl that he was the one who found her. She responds that she realized how he truly was once she lost everything. He counters that she realized too late, however, what Mio meant is that his real self was once a better man. The glow envelopes him in a memory of when Hiwatari smiled and admired a younger Satoshi’s painting. His enthusiastic praise took on a darker tone soon after. Mio tells Hiwatari that he had changed because of the power of the Hikari artworks and that she will save him. He dismisses her, determined to continue preparing for the Black Wings. Satoshi cries out in pain as more red lashes cling to him. He insists that he is being true to himself in this moment, but Daisuke challenges him, reminding the dying boy that he once wished to live as a normal middle school student. Satoshi vehemently denies this, and Daisuke leaps forward, ripping him out of the magic sigil. Daisuke tearfully begs him to hold on to life no matter what because he will meet someone who’s happy that he’s there someday. Satoshi begins to cry as well. Dark tells Daisuke that he will protect his feelings. The angels grapple, and Dark cuts off Krad’s wings with his own. Distracted by the pain, Krad is enveloped by Dark’s wings and launched into the chamber of the Black Wings. Commissioner Hiwatari notices their arrival and turns to Mio Hio, who stands between him and the artwork that he had been cutting. Before he can make her move, the wall behind him bursts open and throws him into the artwork. He falls to the ground imobile and impaled by the axe. Dark and Krad land against the Black Wings, clearing away the cloth to reveal a black surface. Krad is surprised to see the Black Wings and regards Hiwatari’s crumpled form on the platform, concluding that the man failed and ruined the axe. He decides on another plan and shouts in feigned surprise as Dark begins to seal them. The clock strikes midnight and Dark bids farewell to Daisuke. The skeleton figure of the Black Wings pulses with life. Dark pushes Krad and himself beyond the border of the Black Wings, while Krad smiles secretly to himself. In the clock tower, the glow around Riku and Risa’s clasped hands fades. Mio appears before the twins, thanking them for their help and asking them to convey her thanks to Daisuke, as he was the one who made her truly alive. They cry as Mio fades into sparkles. Dark and Krad hover in front of a winged skeleton with a sword through it. Dark declares that this final battle will be the end of them both, but Krad confidently draws a feather and says it will only be the end of Dark. To the latter’s surprise, Daisuke was not left behind in the earlier ceremony. Dark is the key to Krad’s plan: to open the door to darkness from within the Black Wings. Daiki senses that Black Wings is about to awaken so he and Emiko renew their efforts, joining their glowing staffs. Krad calls upon the wings of darkness. Dark screams in agony and is attached to the skeleton, arms exposed. He apologizes to Daisuke that his plan did not work, and Daisuke reassures him that they’ll be fine together. Struggling to rise, Commissioner Hiwatari ignores Krad’s warning not to break the seal. Black blood drips from the axe. Krad threatens him with a feather if he won’t stop, but the angel is interrupted by Satoshi, who fights for control and tells him goodbye. The commissioner stumbles forward and cuts the dripping muscle, saying Satoshi’s name as his eyes close. Dark is freed from his bonds and flies towards Krad, who is hunched over on the ground. He begins to speak to Daisuke but hesitates. Daisuke assures him that he exists inside of Dark and that he will never forget Dark either. The angel moves forward without another word, a few stray tears escape, and the skull of the Black Wings is reunited. Its red eye opens and a whirlwind of gold light covers the town before the skeleton groans and fades in a pillar of light. A clock tower chimes as dawn arrives. The black and white feather disappear from the glass case in the Niwa basement. Daiki and Emiko know that it’s over. With and Towa reawaken in the bedroom by Kosuke’s bed. He closes his eyes in relief. Daisuke helps Satoshi walk across a field of rubble and smoke. The boy asks if he’s alright and Satoshi responds positively, admiring the sunset. Satoshi asks if he can keep the coat and promises to try to live. Riku calls out to Daisuke and they rush towards each other. She says that she found him and then hugs him. Risa and Satoshi exchange glances as they avoid looking at the couple. Riku and Daisuke pull away for a moment before kissing. A black feather on the ground dissolves into sparkles. Trivia * The first scene is directly from the opening sequence. * Characters sometime refer to the next day as “Christmas Eve” instead of “Christmas”. * This is the only episode where the name “Azumano” is used. * During the credits in this episode, Satoshi and Krad's English voice actors got mixed up. * Kosuke Niwa is still able to share Daisuke and Dark’s pain despite Daisuke removing his own Rutile in the previous episode. * Dark has Risa’s ribbon on his arm during the battle inside the Black Wings. Quotes * “I’m myself and he’s himself. Until today.” - Dark about Daisuke Niwa * “This is the only way left to defeat Krad. Even Krad won’t be able to do anything if my body disappears. This will be the end of the cursed Hikari family’s history… That’s right. It’s a ceremony to destroy my body.” - Satoshi Hiwatari * “I don’t think you understand what it means to live carrying the Hikaris’ fate on your shoulders. Just as you tried to create artworks, resisting the Niwa family’s fate, I too will stop this horrible chain of time with these hands. With these hands! … I’m not running away! I’m resisting the Hikaris’ fate! Right… I decided on my own… I will die anyway…” Satoshi to Daisuke * “Thanks, Riku and Risa. If I didn’t have your help, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything. But it’s a lot of work to live… No, nothing. I’m really glad that I was able to meet you. Please tell Daisuke thanks for me too. Tell him that because of him, I was able to truly be alive. Riku… you better be happy with Daisuke!” - Mio Hio’s last words * “Daisuke…” “What is it?” “No, nothing…” “Don’t forget, Dark, I exist inside of you.” “Daisuke…” “I won’t forget you, either, Dark, I promise!” - Dark and Daisuke’s last conversation * “It’s brilliant, isn’t it? But it’s a different kind of brilliance from before. I’m alright. Niwa, can I have this coat? I’ll try to enjoy living for the time being. You’re really an amazing one.” - Satoshi to Daisuke * “Now let me say it. I found you…” - Riku to Daisuke Category:Episodes